


Lessons and a Kiss

by SloaneDestler



Category: Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera & Related Fandoms, Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera - Gaston Leroux, Phantom of the Opera - Lloyd Webber
Genre: E/C, F/M, Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, Kissing, Some angst, Sweet
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-29
Updated: 2020-06-29
Packaged: 2021-03-03 21:07:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24972034
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SloaneDestler/pseuds/SloaneDestler
Summary: A retelling of the days after Christine removes Erik's mask for the first time. Kind of a mix of all the different Phantoms and just whatever I felt like adding in there as well. Erik/Christine
Relationships: Christine Daaé/Erik | Phantom of the Opera
Comments: 4
Kudos: 69





	Lessons and a Kiss

“Christine, are you ready to continue your lessons?” her angel’s - no, Erik’s - voice came from behind the mirror. She felt a wave of relief wash over her. He had returned for her, despite her fear that he wouldn’t after the ugliness in the aftermath of her last lesson.

Erik watched the beautiful girl from behind the mirror. He had stayed away as long as he could, sure she would never want to see him again after he had behaved so horribly to her. But there was no way he could keep himself from her forever. All he could do was hope she didn’t reject him as her teacher. He, the fearsome Opera Ghost, held his breath, waiting for her answer.

Releasing a shaky exhale, Christine rose from her dressing table and turned to him. “Yes, Maestro.” Erik let out an exhale of his own behind the mirror and released the latch to open the mirror. Christine stepped through with some trepidation, knowing she needed to apologize to him. He looked so forbidding, however, that she took the coward’s way out and decided to wait until after her lesson in the hope he would have thawed towards her after hearing her sing. Her heart sank even more as he turned to start the walk down to the house by the lake without taking her hand as he had always done in the past. 'Have I ruined this thing between us?' she wondered sadly.

As Christine stepped into the tunnel, Erik was careful not to touch her. Although he longed to take her hand as he had before, he knew that his touch could only disgust her after his previous outburst. Better to have to keep even more distance from her and retain her as a student than to lose her altogether.

After a rather silent walk to his house, they had an unremarkable - if rather bland - lesson. Although Erik was still stiff with her, Christine was somewhat relieved by the end of it. Maybe he would be able to forgive her. “You did well today, Christine. We will work on the aria further at your next lesson, if that is amenable to you?” As she nodded and started to move to the chair she favored, Erik left the room. Expecting that he was making her a cup of one of his very fine teas as had become something of a tradition for them, she was instead dismayed to see him return to the room holding her cloak. “Shall we return?” he asked aloofly, without looking directly at her.

“You don’t want me to stay?” In her disappointment, Christine spoke without thinking. Erik’s surprised gaze shot to her face. “My dear, after the way our last session ended, I thought staying here would be the last thing you would want to do.” 

Bowing her head in shame, Christine knew she could put her apology off no longer. “Master, will you be able to forgive me for how I behaved the last time I was here?” she started. For a man who usually showed no emotion (although of course wearing a mask helped with that), she had apparently surprised him again, because his gaze again flew to hers unbidden.

“Petite, why would you say that?” In his surprise he used the nickname he had for her, despite his intention to never make her uncomfortable by using it again. “What could you possibly need my forgiveness for? It is I who behaved like the monster I am and treated you so horribly.” Erik looked away in shame.

Christine drew in a breath. “Yes, it’s true that your rage frightened me. But you didn’t hurt me, or even come close to doing so. I should have never removed your mask without your permission. I was...trying to get your attention and I felt as though you were ignoring me.” I was trying to get you to kiss me.

“My dear, you always have my attention. If I led you to think otherwise that would never be my intention.” Erik looked away from her, afraid of what he might see in her eyes. He had seen enough disgust on her beautiful face when she saw his unmasked one to last him a lifetime. “And of course, you are always welcome to stay as long as you like. Would you like a cup of tea?” And was relieved when Christine gave a gentle nod.

……..

After that, their lessons fell into a pattern again. She took tea after every lesson, and he often played for her or read to her in the evenings. She also returned to staying in her room in his house when the mood stuck her. Everything was the same as before in fact, except Erik was very careful not to touch her in any way. When Christine thought about it she realized he hadn’t touched her even in passing since the night she had so shamefully removed his mask. She regretted that rash action more than ever, as it had seemed to set him even farther apart from her in a way. Although he was a doting teacher to her, she wanted more. How to get that more from him, was, however, something of a mystery to her.

“Will you have tea with me this afternoon?” Christine blurted out without thinking after her lesson had concluded for the day. He never ate or drank in front of her, which she suspected was because he would need to remove his mask to do either.

Erik stiffened slightly, but showed no other reaction. “I’ll go prepare it.” he said, not really answering her question either way. However, when he returned with just one cup, she knew he was choosing to ignore her question.

Although she had asked the question without forethought, now she decided not to let the matter go. “No, Maestro, I thought it would be nice for us to take tea together.”

“I am not thirsty presently. I will have some later. For now, why don’t you enjoy yours while it is still hot.” Although Erik found it difficult to deny his Christine anything, he was loath to admit to her that he would have to remove his mask to drink. Obviously she hadn’t realized that fact, or she wouldn’t be bringing the topic up, he felt sure.

Christine felt her temper begin to rise a little. “Erik, I want you to have tea with me. It doesn’t seem like that much to ask!”  
Erik felt his own defenses rise. Although he had had no desire to bring up the topic, he found himself biting out “I can’t have tea with you, Christine. I would have to take off my mask to do so, and we both know exactly how abhorrent you found that to be the last time! Drink your tea so you can return to your dressing room.” 

Part of Christine wanted to march over to him and snatch his mask off once more, but she restrained herself. “Then take it off” she said a little sulkily. “You’ve said before that you would do anything for me, but I ask this one small thing and you deny me!”

“How can you even ask such a thing? I don’t understand what game you’re playing at! Do you think I’ve forgotten your fear and disgust from before?” And worst of all, he could deny his Christine nothing - he feared that soon enough he would be removing the mask despite himself.

“Erik, it wasn’t your face I was reacting to, although of course I admit I was a little shocked. But you were so enraged I was frightened, although I should have known you would never hurt me know matter how angry you are.” She took a deep breath. “Please, just take off your mask and have a cup of tea with me.”

As she gazed at him imploringly, Erik knew he was lost. He gave her a brisk nod and returned to the kitchen. When he came back, he carried another teacup. He sat his cup and saucer down on the table beside his chair. After he sat down, he took a deep breath and stiffly removed his mask. Unable to look at her, he picked up the cup again and took a sip. He waited for her inevitable reaction, feeling himself dying a little inside.

Without the fear and panic to clog her mind as it had the previous time she had seen his face, Christine let herself take in Erik’s appearance. It helped that he was making a concerted effort not to look at her as well, she supposed. His face was shocking, she mused, but it was just a face - the face of the man who had always been there for her, who had comforted her when she missed her father and listened to her talk about anything and everything. Gazing at him, her feelings crystallized in her heart and she knew why she had felt the instinct to kiss him before. Erik was far more than a teacher to her.

Her instinct now told her to sit quietly and not press him any more. When she finished her cup, she put it aside and gently said “Thank you, Angel. That was lovely.”

His head snapped around to her in surprise. Had he been sitting there waiting for her to start screaming again? Her heart broke a little at the thought. “May I stay here tonight?”

“Petite, you are always welcome to stay. You know you needn’t ask, but do you really want to? After seeing...this?’ He waved vaguely towards his face, seeming ashamed.

“Erik, I meant what I said before. My reaction was to your anger, not to your face. You scared me, and I didn’t react well. Please forgive me for that.”  
“There’s nothing to forgive, it is I who must apologize to you once again.” Rising from his chair, he replaced his mask. “I will make you supper, and then we can read before you retire for the night if you would like.”

Recognizing that she had pushed him enough for one day, Christine nodded softly. “Yes, both those things would be lovely.”

*****

Several days later, Christine sat next to him on the piano bench after her lesson. She had sat down unbidden when they were done and started picking out a melody, seeming to have something on her mind, although he was at a loss as to what it might be. Perhaps she was going to tell him that, after having a few days to consider it, his face was too repulsive to her and she no longer wanted to take lessons with him.

“Christine, is something the matter?”

“Oh, no, Maestro, I only have something on my mind.” She smiled at him vaguely and went back to the piano keys. His heart sank. He was right, wasn’t he?

The ‘something’ on Christine’s mind was the man sitting next to her. Although he seemed to have forgiven her for the ugliness with the mask, she was no closer to getting what she had been after before she lost her temper and set their relationship back. 

“Well, my dear, if I can provide any assistance…”

She stopped her playing and looked at him. “Actually, I think you can.” And before she could lose her nerve, she pressed her lips to his.

Erik froze as she leaned in and kissed him. Although he had dreamed of this many times, he had never considered it as actually being possible. After a few seconds, though, he got his wits about him and pulled back. “Christine!” he exclaimed as he leapt up from the piano bench like it was burning him. “What on earth are you doing?”

The horrified look on Erik’s face humiliated her. He had given her no indication that he would welcome a kiss from her, in fact if anything the opposite was true. However, she hadn’t let that bother her and now she had embarrassed them both. What if he sent her away for good this time? To further her shame, she felt two big tears forming in her eyes. “I’m sorry!” she gasped, turning away from him. Would she ever learn to not be so impetuous? 

The glimpse he caught of Christine’s tears instantly broke Erik’s heart. He forgot all his self-consciousness in his urge to comfort her. “Petite, please don’t cry. I can’t stand the thought of you being unhappy.” He gently laid a hand on her shoulder. 

When she felt his kind hand on her shoulder, Christine couldn’t contain herself any longer and started quietly sobbing. Erik was so confusing! He seemed to care for her so much, so why wouldn’t he want to kiss her as she did him? Maybe he still thinks of me as a child, she thought. Or even worse, maybe I’m just not the type of person he would ever be interested in kissing!

As her sobs increased, Erik forgot his reserve and gathered her into his arms. “Shush, darling. Please don’t cry. What can I do to make this better?” He guided her over to sit on the sofa, still keeping his arms around her.

His foolish question distracted her from her tears and instantly got her ire up. She pulled back and looked at him. “You can kiss me back when I kiss you!” And she leaned in and kissed him again. This time she pressed her tongue to the seam of his lips. When he gasped in shock, she took the opportunity to dart her tongue into his mouth. 

Erik once again was as frozen as a statue, his mind roiling. She wanted to kiss him? It didn’t make sense to his addled brain, but when she pulled back for a moment and whispered “Please, Angel” before pressing her lips to his again, he was lost. This time when her tongue entered his mouth, his was there to meet it. And his response, delayed as it was, seemed to embolden her as she threw her arms around his neck and leaned in closer to him. Without fully realizing what he was doing, he was soon embracing her back as their kiss grew deeper and their bodies pressed closer.

Kissing Erik was every bit as thrilling as Christine had dreamed it would be, and feeling his arms enfolding her at long last was an equally wonderful feeling. When she finally pulled back to gasp in a breath, she pressed her forehead to his masked one. “Christine...how...what…” he seemed unable to form a coherent thought, and the womanly part of her relished that. To think that she had had such an effect on this incredible man! 

She pulled away far enough to look into his glowing eyes. “Erik, that was wonderful! But…” as she trailed off, he felt a moment’s panic as he came back to earth. Bracing himself for her to tell him that their kiss was a mistake, he looked away. “Yes?”

“I think it would be even better without your mask next time. Would you be alright with that?” His stunned eyes met hers again. “You want to kiss me again?”

His Christine blushed prettily. “Of course I do. Don’t you want to kiss me again?” 

“More than anything!” As she smiled gently, he was somehow even more lost to her than before. “If it will make you more comfortable, of course I can remove it.” Anything to get you to kiss me again, even that.

Holding his gaze, Christine reached for the mask. This time she removed it gently before carefully setting it on the adjoining table. Then as she snuggled back into his arms, she leaned in and innocently kissed his mangled temple and then his cheek. As she leaned in to kiss him on the mouth, Erik pulled back slightly. “Does my face really not disgust you? Please forgive me for questioning you, but it’s hard for me to believe someone as perfect as you could want to kiss someone like me.”

Christine’s heart twisted as she gazed at Erik. How strong he was to sit here and try to be brave for her when he had suffered so much in the past. “Angel, your face is part of who you are. And I love you completely, so no, your face could never disgust me.”

Erik couldn’t stop his jaw from dropping open in shock for a moment. “You love me?” He looked stunned.

“Of course I do. Why, I’ve told you so many times.”

“I thought your love ended when you found out I wasn’t your angel, but just a man who misled you.” As he looked away in shame, she took his chin in her hand and guided his gaze back to hers. “Erik, you absolutely are my angel. And I don’t know where you get these silly ideas sometimes! Why on earth would you think I stopped loving you?” And before he could respond, she leaned in and kissed him yet again.

As Erik’s strong, lean arms wrapped around her and he returned her kiss, Christine felt her heart sing with gladness. This was where they both belonged, in each other’s arms no matter what.

**Author's Note:**

> Even though there are so many outstanding phics out there already, for some reason I felt the need to try one of my own. I haven't written anything in years, and this is my first fic ever so I just thought I'd try something short and see what happened. Any constructive criticism would be welcome, as well as any advice on tags, etc., as I (probably clearly) don't really know what I'm doing here. But this was kind of fun and therapeutic for me, so I may try some more ideas in the future.


End file.
